VMM Service Deployments: Deploying a Scale-Out RDS as a Service – Part 3 #VMM #CloudOS #SCVMM #HyperV #SysCtr

During this post, I will be wrapping up this in-depth look at VMM service deployments. Over the last two postings we have examined the following items, so make sure you review them before you continue:

In this last post, I will be using all previously discussed topics, prerequisites and the detailed RDS Application profiles to deploy a multi-tiered instance of Remote Desktop Services and finally Scale Out/In the service.

Deploying the Service Template

And now the moment of truth , we reap the rewards of three long blog posts worth of content. To deploy the Service Template, click ‘Save and Validate’ and then click ‘Configure Deployment’.

Select a name and destination for the service.

On the Deploy Service window, we can observe a few items. First notice that we can see a visual representation of the service as it will be deployed, in this case 1 VM for RDSH Tier, 1 VM for RDWA Tier, and 1 VM for RDCB Tier. On the left hand pane we can see the current VM computer names for the VM’s of each Tier, and finally we see the text box on the right hand in which we provide the value to be used in the @Collection@, @RDCB@, and @RDWA@ variables.

After populating the variables with the right information, we could click the ‘Refresh Preview’ which would engage the fabric placement algorithm ensuring that our service will ‘fit’ on the destination cloud, or we can just click on the ‘Deploy Service’ button. If there is going to be a pre-detectable placement issue, the Deploy Service wizard will let you know.

As you can see, the service is ready to be deployed without any warning !signs.

After selecting ‘Deploy Service’, confirm that you would like to deploy the service and VMM will take care of the rest. Once this process has completed your service will be cooked and ready for use.

Now for disclosure, this process takes a long time… and this depends on the hardware what you have.

Now you can grab a couple cups of coffee , have some snacks and then come back.

And here you go… The RDS service completed pretty successfully .

We have one VM in each of this three tiers.

Let’s go and verify that we have a functioning Remote Desktop Services infrastructure.

I will open and login into the Remote Desktop Web Access page (https://rdwa01.domain.net/RDWeb).

And voilà… here are the office applications , click one button, and we have a fully functioning Remote Desktop Services infrastructure, this is awesome!

Scaling-Out the RDS Service Deployment

As you recall from the previous post, the RDSH tier is configured to be Scaled-Out and Scaled-In.

Right click on the RDSH tier, and select ‘Scale Out’.

The Scale Out Tier Wizard will pop-up.

You can confirm that we have the proper configuration for the tier size (Current VM count, minimum and maximum).

Click Next,

Here you have the option to specify a different Virtual machine name, however it should automatically populate the correct name based on the RDSH## variable.

Click Next,

We can verify the identity information for the new virtual machine that will be created.

If you do that process again, it will be RDSH03, RDSH04 and so on and so on…

Here you can change the action properties for this new VM if you wish to.

Quick summary and finally the Scale Out button will go and complete that process… this is pretty cool!

And here you go, we have a second instance of Remote Desktop Session Host

Scaling-In the RDS Service Deployment

Now what interesting is that while there is a ‘Scale Out’ button, you will find that there is no ‘Scale In’ button that exist in VMM

I don’t know why Microsoft chose not to actually include a ‘Scale In’ button in VMM, however if you played with System Center Orchestrator you can see there is a ‘Scale In’ activity that we can choose from.

If you do want to ‘Scale In’ a tier in VMM, the way in which you Scale In a tier happens by right-click the tier and choosing to ‘Delete’ the tier literally.

Deleting a tier, will go through all the process that need to happen in order to remove that virtual machine appropriately.This deletion just like with the Scale Out, will go through those additional application profile actions (scripts) that needs to happen as well.

Note: As I mentioned in the first post, this deployment is solely depends on System Center Virtual Machine Manager, however if you like to add more automation, you can use definitely System Center Service Manager along with System Center Orchestrator, add more fun and let the users deploy, scale-out, scale-in and even re-deploy the complete Remote Desktop Service infrastructure while you are focusing on doing other important projects… This is the power of Microsoft System Center integration.

Conclusion

If you read all three posts of this blog series or simply flipped though, I hope that this has been helpful in your pursuit to VMM service deployment

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Charbel Nemnom is a Microsoft Cloud Solutions Architect, totally fan of the latest's IT platform solutions, accomplished hands-on technical professional with over 15 years of broad IT Infrastructure experience serving on and guiding technical teams to optimize performance of mission-critical enterprise systems. Excellent communicator adept at identifying business needs and bridging the gap between functional groups and technology to foster targeted and innovative IT project development. Well respected by peers through demonstrating passion for technology and performance improvement. Extensive practical knowledge of complex systems builds, network design and virtualization.

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My Name is Charbel Nemnom. Microsoft MVP. I work as a Cloud Solutions Architect for itnetX AG, a consulting and engineering company located in Switzerland.
I focus on Microsoft technologies, especially Cloud and Datacenter Management solutions based on Windows Server, System Center, Microsoft Virtualization, Microsoft Azure and Azure Stack.

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